A cream supplement consisting of human milk fat is linked to improved growth rate in premature infants, according to a new study.
Researchers from the USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital have successfully fed premature infants the cream supplement, helping to improve their growth in the NICU. The study found providing premature babies with a mix of protein and fat, most of which can be found in human milk, could help them gain weight and achieve normal development .
"For premature babies who weigh less than 1,000 grams (about 2 pounds, 2 ounces), one of the problems is that their lungs and other organs are still developing when they are born," lead author, Dr. Amy Hair said in a statement. "If the infant gains weight and increases in length at a good rate while in the NICU, this helps improve their outcomes."
Prior research has indicated a diet consisting exclusively of human milk helps to protect the intestines of premature infants, while simultaneously supporting their growth. This diet involves the mothers' breast milk or milk from a donor, along with a fortifier of protein and minerals from the donor's milk.
According to the Dairy Council of California, benefits of milk include improved bone health, as well as positive effects on immunity, mild hypertension, weight management strategies, and increased satiety in dieters.
Any baby born before the 37th week of gestation is considered premature. The earlier a baby is born, the higher chance it will have of encountering serious health complications, such as respiratory distress syndrome, apnea, anemia, infection, or retinopathy. If a baby is born between 28 and 33 weeks, he or she will have a much greater chance of survival (up to 95 percent).
Hair urges mothers to donate extra breast milk to a milk bank.
"It can help nourish our tiniest and most vulnerable infants," she said.
Findings were published online in the Journal of Pediatrics.
